Ai
by Shin Sankai
Summary: A story for Yuki and Maria. Takes place somewhere in the 'Forever Phrase' in Volume 6. Its all about love. With an appearance from 'Saku' and a little Ainechan. For Chibijem1969.


**Ai **

**By: Shin Sankai**

Authors Notes: My first Kaikan Phrase story it seems. This is in thanks to my Oneesan for, well, being my Oneesan. Her and her family take care of me very well (far too well sometimes) and I love them very much. Its also written because she's always "Yuki this" and "Yuki that" and "Yuki, Yuki, Yuki…" --pokes out tongue-- This little story plagued me as I was trying to sleep in this morning. Well, lets see, this happens around the side story of Yuki and Maria in Volume 6, but before the whole argument between Yuki and Maria and him not taking on Noh and such. Cheesiness ensues!

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The final school bell rang, signalling the end of the day and students bowed to their teacher and then once he was gone the noise level rose. Several students lingered around a few desks, talking about what they were going to be doing this afternoon. One student however did not listen to any such plans and picked up his book bag and headed towards the door.

"Todo-kun, you coming downtown with us?" One of the guys voiced and the tall guitarist from Lucifer turned back, purple hair swishing against his shoulder blades.

"Iie, I've got practice." Was all Todo Yukifumi, aged 17 muttered before giving a slight wave and he walked out. Heading down the corridor, Yuki turned a corner to head towards the classroom he always went to after he was finished with his classes. He nodded his head politely to passing female students, they gushing over his popularity and good looks. As he drew closer to the familiar classroom he could hear raised voices, well one in particular. Poking his head into the classroom he saw his little wife, Maria, kicking up a storm, yet again, as her friends teased her about being childish. She was short and petite, waving her arms around and shaking her head, her lightly coloured hair swishing about her shoulders as she had placed it into two ponytails.

"Maria…" He muttered aloud, in his soft sensual voice and watched as her arms dropped to her sides and she turned quickly around. His heart swelled always as he watched her eyes sparkle and her lips break into an enormous smile when he called out to her.

"Yu-Yuki!" She screeched like usual and grabbed up her book bag and rushed over to him, diving into his chest. He let off a small laugh as he directed her out of her classroom, his arm slightly around her as her head was still against the side of his chest and her right arm clung to the back of his school uniform jacket.

"Keep displaying such emotions to your friends and you'll never be rid of the 'child' remark." Yuki lightly teased and watched her 'hmph' as she strode ahead of him. His eyes trailed slyly down her body, knowing every inch of skin on her petite form. Quickly darting his eyes away, hoping to get off that line of topic, his eyes darted back to Maria when he head a slight squeal that was definitely from her. He rushed around the corner, not realising he'd slowed down his long strides and found Maria deposited on the corridor floor. His unoccupied hand instantly fisted and his eyes narrowed angrily as someone had knocked her over. His anger soon eased however when that certain someone was picking her up.

"Saku-chan!" He listened to Maria give Ookouchi Sakuya, the vocalist for Lucifer his usual nickname as he bent to pick her up. At first he'd been so caught off guard at her nickname, but since he was the youngest out of them and Maria was always giving people nicknames, he didn't object to it at all. Yuki had thought that was strange and as he walked towards his friend and wife and listened to her jabber off several things at top speed, his dark eyes didn't miss the slight curve of Sakuya's lips as he was looking down at her laughing face.

"Oi brat, watch where you're walking next time." Yuki murmured to the blue-eyed Sakuya and winked jokingly as the three of them headed out of the school.

"Ne, Saku-chan, what are you doing at our school?" Maria, the shortest of the three, looked up into Sakuya's startling yet beautiful eyes as they glanced down at her and then over to her tall handsome husband.

"We have practice."

"Ah, then you should go Yuki. You don't have to worry about me, I can get home by myself." Maria voiced as she walked in front of the two men dressed in dark clothing, one because it was the uniform of the school and the other because he never wore anything different.

"I always walk home with you." Yuki commented as that was his final decision and there was no room for rebuttal where he was concerned. Band practice could wait several more minutes until Maria was safe in the Todo household.

"Mou! I'm not a little girl anymore." Maria fumed as they headed out of the school gates and down the pathway. She twirled around to face Sakuya and Yuki and poked her tongue out at them. What happened next made Yuki's heart stop beating. Her shoe hit a snag on the footpath making her trip near the curb and into oncoming traffic. It all felt like slow motion as bags were dropped and two guys thrust their hands towards the falling Maria.

There was a crash on the footpath; several groans and Maria finally peeled her eyes open. She blinked several times, people watching the odd display as they walked past and she finally took notice why. She was lying on two fallen guys, who truly didn't look like high school students and their arms were wrapped around her. Her face went beetroot red and she untangled herself from them and sat on her knees looking down at the sprawled forms of Yuki and Sakuya.

"Yuki! Saku-chan! Daijoubu desu ka?" Her hands were fisted in her lap and her eyes glistened happily when the both of them sat up. She was startled when Yuki stood straight up, one hand raking through his locks of hair and her eyes grew wide as he began yelling at her. She was still sitting on the ground with an equalling surprised Sakuya starring up at him as well. Her head bowed when Yuki finished, his chest heaving from the exertion and she began to chew her lip trying desperately not to cry.

"A husband doesn't snap at his wife like that." Her eyes darted towards Sakuya who stood up, brushing the dirt from his black leather pants and his hand went out to her. There was a soft curve of his lips and she shakily stood up, hand clutched in the lead singers. "He quietly picks her up, looks her over to make sure she is not injured and then lets it rip."

"Sa-Saku-chan!" Blue eyes starred down at the pouting face of Maria.

"Jodan…" Sakuya muttered. "Think of it as Yuki being extremely worried that harsh words are the first to arise because of the fear he felt that something horrible would have happened to you." Maria darted her eyes to the bowed head of Yuki, watching as his hands unclenched. She gasped when he stepped forward and wrapped her possessively within his arms.

"Yu-Yuki…?" Maria muttered, eyes closing and a secret smile falling over her lips at the slight tremble within his body. To be treasured so much, by one person meant she was truly blessed and she quickly wrapped her arms around his chest, holding him tight so he knew she was still here, right at his side. A sigh broke the little romantic moment and Yuki and Maria broke apart to look over at Sakuya.

"You two are so stubborn and hopeless you belong together." A cocky grin was against his lips as he stepped closer, taking one of Maria's hands in his. "You're wasting our band practice." Yuki let off a light laugh, knowing that comment was so like Sakuya even though he was certain Maria had made his heart stop as well. He bent to pick up his bag and Maria's and took her other hand in his left one. The three of them walked across the road holding hands and didn't let go once they got to the other side safely.

The two men were broken from whatever thoughts they had been thinking as they listened to Maria hum lightly, a smile on her lips and her cheeks lightly flushed as she held hands with two of the hottest guys she'd ever known.

"Its love! Love, love, love…" Maria commented in a singsong voice.

"What are you on about now Maria?" Yuki questioned the lightly skipping young woman as she kept up with his and Sakuya's long strides.

"I'm like a princess being taken care of the two most handsomest princes." Yuki lightly laughed at that and stopped when he listened to Sakuya dryly comment,

"No wonder you get referred to as being a child." Maria unlinked her hands from theirs and walked in front again, this time walking backwards so she was looking back at them.

"Saku-chan is just shy to admit that he was worried about me because he loves me too." She poked her tongue out at him and skipped ahead, hair swishing about her. Yuki quietly followed until he realised that Sakuya was not moving from his prone state when Maria had made her comment. He grinned as he made his way over to Sakuya and placed his hand against his dark hair. Intense blue locked with his dark eyes.

"She hit the nail right on the head ne?" Sakuya's lips parted as though he was going to say something but nothing would come out. His eyes darted down to Maria's, as she'd come rushing back over to take one of his hands in both of hers.

"Don't look so worried Saku-chan, Lucifer belongs to all of us. It's a family to everyone. I know how much Yuki loves being in the band with you and the others and it's definitely a part of his family. And because of that its also my family too, everyone in it is my family, including the aloof Saku-chan!" She beamed a smile up at him.

"You…are truly strange." Sakuya commented and his eyes grew slightly wide as Maria leaned up, while dragging down his upper body so she could peck him lightly on the cheek.

"We love you too Sakuya." And he stopped in his lengthy strides and watched her grab her bag from Yuki, kiss him lightly on the lips and rush towards the gate that would take her inside the Todo household.

"She called me Sakuya."

"She did." Yuki commented back.

"She sounds…more mature that way."

"Don't even think it brat, she's _mine_ and I'm not giving her to anyone." His laughing eyes met Sakuya's and caught the slight grin against his usually frowning lips. They both turned away, heading towards the Studio, but stopped in their walking as Maria had called out to Yuki once more.

"I expect you home for dinner or else!" She blew him a kiss and ducked back into the front yard, the gate closing with a resonating click.

"She is childish." Sakuya commented and received a punch in the arm for it. His eyes darted to Yuki's who was grinning over at him.

"True, but she's _my_ childish wife." They fell into stride again, ignoring a few whispers from passing girls as they ogled their good looks and lean bodies. "Besides…" Yuki began, "…do you not think that is something Aine-chan would say to you?"

"Eh?"

"If you were married that is."

"M-Married? To Aine?" Yuki's grin widened as he caught the lead singer off guard. He threw his arm over Sakuya's shoulders as they neared the studio.

"Maybe you can think about marriage when you and Aine-chan aren't so childish yourselves."

"Teme…" Sakuya growled out as Yuki couldn't help but pass up the chance to ruffle his hair like he were the older…and much wiser brother.

"Sakuya!" They both stopped in their tracks as Aine, sweet adorable Aine was standing outside the studio with what seemed to be several large wrapped bentos' in her hands. She jogged towards the two of them, a smile on her face, eyes glittering as she starred up at Sakuya. "I know you'll be practicing till late, so I made you all some snacks."

"Arigatou, Aine-chan…" Yuki muttered, bending down to kiss her cheek softly. He watched her flush prettily, just like his wife did when she was around Sakuya. He took the bentos' from her hands.

"Ah, now that's love for our family." Yuki winked back at Sakuya and headed on inside, leaving the confused Aine-chan pestering an abashed Sakuya about what that meant.

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It was rather late when Yuki got home. He hadn't made it for dinner, but rang Maria to voice his apologies about it. He was annoyed with himself as his mother had been teaching her how to cook and she had wanted to surprise him with making him dinner. She had only forgiven him if he made sure to not kiss her like a child anymore. He did it only to tease her these days, since he'd bed her several weeks ago, but agreed to her terms in any case.

Currently Yuki was dressed in his practice attire that he wore when he moved about the Dojo he had lessons in with his father. It was past midnight, the house was eerily quiet, but Yuki needed to get in some practice. His father had been extremely disappointed in him, which Yuki seemed to be doing a lot these days. He truly did love his family, but being a performer of Noh was just not in his blood as passionately as Lucifer was. He appeased his father in learning all that he could and straining his body to complete exhaustion, but he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep up the façade.

Yuki missed a step and stumbled backwards over his own feet. He landed with a thud on the ground, his rump throbbing lightly. He didn't move to stand back up, to start all over again and instead ripped open his gi, skin pale and glistening with sweat and decided to sprawl on the wooden floorboards like a starfish. He closed his eyes and mentally apologised to his father for failing him so many times. The sound of the shoji being pried open meant the only other person who would ever be awake at this hour and worrying about him had finally found him. He listened to her pad softly towards him and his eyes opened when her yukata rustled as she sat beside his head.

"Yuki, you should be resting." Maria quietly voiced as she gestured for him to rest his head in her lap, which he did so without a second thought. Her dainty fingers, which had traced over his skin, clutched at his shoulders when they had made love for the first time, right here, were currently brushing sweaty purple locks of hair from his forehead.

"I disappoint him too much." He muttered aloud, eyes flickering closed at the gentle caresses from Maria.

"I love you Yuki." Dark eyes darted open to look into Maria's. She was starring openly down at him, her left hand clutching his, their wedding bands clinking together softly. "I really, truly do. Since forever I've loved you, so no matter what you decide to do, you'll never disappoint me. I'll love you always!" Her face was scrunched up, Maria trying to look serious but to Yuki she looked puffy and suspicious. His unoccupied hand lifted up, to cover his mouth slightly as he laughed.

"Mou, Yuki, I'm serious!" Rolling onto his side and then getting up, his gi fell away from his skin and fluttered to the floorboards, his dark eyes growing soft as Maria pouted over at him.

"Me too Maria." He watched her eyes grow wide and her smile spilt her face at his words. "I'll always love you too." She was within his arms instantly and Yuki held her close. "Thank you for loving me…and Lucifer." He mumbled into her ear and just felt her nod. Yuki was certain that he would grow stronger and overcome his dilemma because Maria was at his side, because her love would keep him going and make him choose the right path for him…for them.

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**End**


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